PSY 246 Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Techniques in Neuropsychology
Document Summary
Replication: in order for results to be confirmed; make sure initial observations are not a fluke. Replication by other researchers important in order to generalize results to people beyond those who participated in the first study. Control: the ability to manipulate something of interest to determine the effects; having an appropriate comparison sample so deviations can be observed. Confounding variables: unwanted variables that may affect the outcome of the study, leading to false conclusions about the effects observed. Hypothesis: a statement (prediction) that can be rejected; help avoid questions that cannot be disproved. Independent variable: the one that the researcher manipulates to determine how the behaviour is affected. Dependent variable: the response or behaviour that the experimenter measures. Most research in neuropsychology is quasi-experimental since most of the time it is unethical and impractical to manipulate the independent variable directly (e. g. lesions)
